La Finale
by Zoti
Summary: Basically a rewrite to the ending of the book as told by Christine.


_(authors note I do not own any of the characters from this story nor the line taken from ALW in quotations within the text below... thank you)_

La Finale

As Told By Christine

The night previous to my incident at the Opera House I was torn. I thought of my childish dreams; of Raoul, of a fairytale innocence that was to become of my future. My inner giddiness threw my mind into a trance and I thought I could make my decision… I was terribly mistaken.

I had begged Raoul that night to take me away soon, and made him promise to urge me into a decision. He never understood those words until my abduction. As he kissed me that night something felt so wonderful and yet so dreadfully wrong; I would later realize it was my misplacement of the ring.

That golden band meant so much; a love I was yet to fully understand, a freedom, a trust, a secret to the depths of my soul. That secret was forced silent how could I tell Raoul that the man he called a monster no longer frightened me? I couldn't, Raoul had worked so hard for me and at the same time I wish he had not.

Though however hard Raoul had worked, my Angel had always worked harder. He gave me his music, made my song take flight, loved me, devoted himself to me, looked after me in a way Raoul never could. He deceived me, yes, but he deceived me for love. Erik did things the world would condemn him for and yet, I could never think badly of him, for the world had always been cruel to my poor Erik.

I knew the abduction was coming though I never stopped it. Even as Erik took me away that night I didn't fight back, I think this surprised him. He was clouded by his cold demeanor in which he used to protect himself but even then he warmed up to me. He became as gentle as a lamb leading me to his underground mansion and fell to my feet crying for forgiveness.

Though as I gently lifted him up and began to fumble with that porcelain mask he thundered aloud with rage and violently thrashed me away. I was not frightened by his outburst or his curses for I understood his rapid mood change for what it was – fear and protection. He cursed me, screamed at me, asked me how I could ever bear to see it, his "hideous face" again for "it was hardly a face remember?" he teased, and I knew he had been there that night hiding as I feared on Apollo's lyre. I walked closer to him while singing what my heart truly felt , "This haunted face, holds no horror for me now, it's in your soul that the true distortion lies," as I finally reached out and touched his heaving chest where underneath his heart lay.

Slowly I caressed his mask, grasped it and unmasked him, he tried to cover his face with his hands but I swiftly grabbed them and turned him towards me, had he wanted to lash out once more he willing could have but I suppose he understood the truth in my words and the compassion in my voice.

We stood like this for sometime, holding hands and staring in each others eyes, when finally I hugged him and he gasped at the gesture until suddenly we heard a cry; I knew instantly it was Raoul. That stupid brave man -- he had come after me, though I was no damsel in distress for I had already been saved, this I knew for sure. Desperately I clung to Erik hoping to distract him for he would've surely killed Raoul. I asked him to show me the house and he did so but eagerly turned on the light to the torture chamber screaming at me to look and see who was inside. I cried asking him, begging him to stop his madness but he urged me up the stairs. I looked through the glass and sure enough there was Raoul yet accompanied by the Persian. I lied to Erik telling him no one was there, telling him he was scaring me yet all the while he left the light on.

Finally, a few hours later it came time for me to make my choice though the decision had long since been made. I chose Erik, praying he would let his captures be free however, he had other plans. As the water rose in the torture chamber I cried and this time it was I who fell to his feet begging for forgiveness. I told him how foolish Raoul was, how he was simply a childhood memory. Erik pitied me, could not bear to have me grovel and dropped to the floor with me. He cradled me and I wept. I poured out my soul to him and told him how Raoul had never notice me till that night at the gala, that his security could never amount to Erik's and that my childhood longings were feeble compared to my woman desires.

I took his hand in mine one last time and begged him to stop his torture for his living bride would cease to live and at this I kissed him. Before I had time to register what was happening Erik had drained the water from the torture chamber, fallen to his knees and cried. I crawled to him, laid his head in my lap and stroked his deformed face, hushing his quiet sobs. He regained composure, took the unconscience Persian and Raoul away and came back to me where I waited for him.

He asked me then, he asked me how I could ever love a man like him. I told Erik he was more than a man, he was an angel. An angel the world may not recognize but an angel my soul could never resist nor deny.

It was then that he knew my love was true and I swear he almost died of shock and compassion. How could he not dissolve when the world had never showed him a moment of consideration of sympathy, when his own mother couldn't even bear to look at him? Erik cried as did I and together we held each other… we were free. Free from the uncompassionate world, free from boundaries and limitations, free from binding secrets.

I returned to the Opera House to sing, and I praised Erik's glory. Every night he would come for me and I would return to my home, my heaven with my angel. I later explained to Raoul my decision though he never will understand, how could he ever understand, but I need not explain my heart for sometimes the mind can not yet comprehend what the heart understands.


End file.
